(Newswire.net — July 9, 2019) — For a while now, the debate between instant translation and the professional translation of a website to the language of its location has been ongoing. One school of thought does not see the need to waste resources on professional translation when search engines have invested in that already. The other team believes that you cannot market to a local in any other language other than the one they are fluent in.
We agree with the latter. We know firsthand the benefits that accrue from speaking to people in their local language, and we believe that translation cost should be itemized. Here are just ways how doing this would boost sales.
- Shows Appreciation
If you go to Asia, start a branch or franchise, and insist on providing you services in English, you will miss out on some part of the market. You will not prove to be interested in settling there as an investor, seeing as you will not be using the local language of trade. Translating your site into a local dialect makes the local consumer know that you respect them and are interested in doing business with them. Your international business will feel local, and you will be able to build brand loyalty.
- Reach New Market
The first thing that you want to achieve when you open a business in a new location is reaching out to potential consumers. You cannot reach new grounds with a language that does not speak to the people in your target market. The other consideration is that your page may not be among the first if it appears in a language different from the local. Although direct sales are not the only measure for ROI on translation, they play a role.
- Showing Support
Can you imagine having a site whose important information is different from your local dialect? You would have to use Google Translate every time you want to use the page. Even worse if you are an employee of that company, seeing as the handbooks and other materials would be in a language that you barely understand.
Any businessperson wants to make their staff and consumers feel valuable and appreciated by translating the vital information into a language they can fully understand.
- Brand Protection
If you insist on getting into the international market without proper translation, then you risk ruining your brand. An interested consumer will find a way to translate your website, even if that means using sub-par means. The competition may use this time to translate the words for you to their advantage, and the free translation services will not resent the brand appropriately.
Besides, any self-respecting company would not have its website in English when marketing to a Spanish audience. Doing this would open your brand up to criticism.
- Make it Professional
For translation services to boost sales, they have to be offered by a professional. You want someone who will retain the original message while presenting it in a language that locals understand. To date, no instant translation service can do that.